


Persistence of Memory

by Mysterious_Prophetess



Series: Bittersweet Memories [5]
Category: Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi | Spirited Away, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Gen, Nedzu is terrifying, Past Lives, Reincarnation, Sensei | All For One is Midoriya Izuku's Parent, Sensei | All For One is Not Midoriya Hisashi, Spirited Away AU, Tuna's Spirited Away AU, dad for one, indirect appearance of Minoru Mineta but it's very minor.
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-12
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-16 13:16:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28707282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mysterious_Prophetess/pseuds/Mysterious_Prophetess
Summary: Izuku's life as a courier is never dull, and sometimes All for One invites himself into it.After Izuku has a strange dream, One for All decides to get to the bottom of it.
Series: Bittersweet Memories [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2100699
Comments: 6
Kudos: 146





	Persistence of Memory

Izuku had finished he last errand for One for All for the day and it was only mid-afternoon. Perfect time to find a spot to sun himself. He noticed a rocky cliff that jutted out of a mostly forested mountain that seemed to be perfectly made for a sunning spot for dragons. It wasn’t overly large, but he wasn’t either. Especially coiled up. He scented the air for nearby threats or wild-life. All clear. Time for a nap. The stone was as warm as he’d hoped it’d be once he settled himself down in a semi-loose coil, his headand front legs on a coiled section of himself, like he’d seen a snake do once as a kid.

He doesn’t know how long he slept in the blissful heat, only that he was awakened far too short a time later. Izuku cracked an eye open and saw it hadn’t even been long enough for the sun to fully shift and there was something blocking his light. The scent made him mentally roll his eyes before he began to get up.

“No need to move, Little Stream. I was simply marveling at how poorly my brother is providing for a child under his care.”

“Lord All Rivers in One,” Izuku said once he’d stood. The elder red-and-white dragon lazily floated above him.

“Again with the formality. Call me Papa, please.”

“Lord Shigaraki, your **honorable** brother takes care of me well enough. He trusts that I know how to take care of myself and doesn’t feel the need to constantly hover,” Izuku said.

“Perhaps he should take a far more active role in your upbringing. After all, we dragons have an image to uphold.”

“That we do, brother.” Izuku looked over his shoulder and saw One for All had arrived. The blue-and-white dragon had landed next to Izuku and his own green eyes glowed faintly. The brothers rarely met without a clash. Izuku nervously backed up towards One for All who pushed forward and soon was semi-blocking Izuku from his elder brother.

“What do I owe this honor, little brother?” All for One asked.

“I was simply curious as to what was taking Deku so long to return. Nothing more, nothing less,” One for All said.

“You work your young ward too hard, brother. The Little Stream was napping when I came across him.”

“Were it not for your presence, this would be an excellent spot for a dragon his age to get some sun.”

“Is it that your domain has no places suitable for him to sun himself?”

“I can provide for him as he wants and needs, Elder Brother. It’s time we got back. Otherwise we’ll lose out on any remaining time to get some sun,” One for All said. With that he and Izuku took off into the air. By a miracle, All for One didn’t follow them.

“Sorry I didn’t come back,” Izuku said once they’d gotten far enough away from the Lord of Dragons.

“It’s not your fault. My brother is fairly single-minded and I can’t fault you for finding a perfect patch of sunlight.”

“Will he ever realize…who I am?” Izuku asked.

“Time will tell.”

————————————— —————————

_He was so very weak. Mama had stopped moving. He tried to nuzzle her but he was unable to move. It was too dry. Ever since those humans had come and blocked his water and the rains stopped. As it went dark, he wanted his Papa..he wanted the dryness to stop._

————— ————————

Izuku shot up breathing hard, heart pounding. He’d gone to sleep in his humanoid form, a reminder of his past to himself. As a result his ears were also back and the fur on his tail bushed up. He was also crying.

“Deku? Deku? Izu?” He felt arms gently pull him into a hug. It was One for All.

“I…I had a nightmare,” Izuku said after a few moments. He scrubbed at his face to try to get the tears to stop.

“Was it your mother?” One for All asked.

“No-no. I…I was smaller. So much smaller than I’ve ever been and it was so dry and I was so weak,” Izuku said. He felt One for All stiffen.

“Dry?”

“Humans they’d dammed up a river and it wasn’t raining. I was thinking that in my dream and it was so dry,” Izuku wrapped his arms around himself, his tail followed suit.

“My brother never told you what happened to his mate and son, did he?”

“No. He only ever acted like I was something to turn into a replacement of his son,” Izuku said. One for All let go and moved to sit in front of Izuku.

“Long ago, before my brother had taken all the waters, except mine, he was a happier dragon. He’d met a wonderful mate whose headwaters had come from the same mountains his original waters had sprung. They grew to love one another dearly. Then they had a child and his waters promised to be strong and last as long as his sires. I adored my nephew very much. Then there was a time of war in both the human and spirit worlds and my nephew’s river was dammed up by a lord who wished to divert that water for his own designs and punish those down stream for they were the subjects of a rival. It was then that drought struck. My brother didn’t arrive in time to save either his mate—whose waters had been dammed up by a natural disaster— nor his child,” One for All said.

“Why am I dreaming about his son’s death?” Izuku asked.

“I don’t know, but I know someone who can find out. I’ll be gone for a few days at most, so carry out your duties and stick to my domain until I get back. I’ll have the others take care of you,” One for All said. Their nearly matching green eyes locked. Izuku could tell his boss and uncle-in-all-but-blood was serious.

“I’ll stay close,” Izuku said.

“It’s nothing bad, so don’t worry,” One for All said as he wiped a stray tear off Izuku’s cheek. Izuku had leaned into the touch and One for All dragged him into a tight hug. It felt nice.

—————————————— —————————

One for All arrived at the Halls of the Dead one day after he set off.

“For you to come here, it must be important Lord Shigaraki.” One for All turned to see an attendant had snuck up on him. Except, even though it looked like one of many rat-shaped attendants of the Judge of the Dead, there was something extra to this one with a scar over his eye. A truth One for All saw after but a moment.

“Lord Enma?”

“Shhh! Not right now, I’m not.Am I a rat, bear or dog? I’m Nedzu, the head attendant to Lord Enma,” “Nedzu” said.

“Ok, Nedzu, I seek your aide and your knowledge,” One for All said.

“Right this way!” One for All followed “Nedzu” through the very busy halls of the Halls of the Dead. The other spirits shaped like Nedzu were busy all but running their tails off as they dashed about, arms full of paperwork, quills, or ink wells.

“We have a lot of new arrivals as always so please excuse the chaos,” Nedzu said. They arrived at the office set aside for Lord Enma, but it was unsurprisingly empty though it was nearly stuffed to the gills with paperwork.

“Now I know what you might be thinking, “Is he really pretending to be an underling to get away from his paperwork” and the answer is no! Someone’s been breaking in to the Halls of the Dead and no one usually looks twice at the attendants,” Nedzu said.

“But I’m sure the paperwork avoidance is a nice bonus?”

“Of course! This is nothing, though. Last time I was called away for a conference with the other judges of the dead for a week and my office and the archive rooms down the hall were stuffed,” Nedzu said as he quickly processed the stacks of paper in his path with a stamp and quill he’d kept in his robes. Soon the papers he’s moved floated off to their proper destinations. By the time he was done, there was a Nedzu sized gap in the papers on his desk.

“What do you need my help with, Lord Shigaraki of the One River for All?” Nedzu said.

“Reincarnation records. I’d like access to them for any of my kind who have died in the last four hundred years,” One for All said.

“Your brother made a similar request not that long ago,” Nedzu said.

“What’d you say?”

“That I can’t let you view records of so many without a just cause to view their information. Now if it’s someone in your care, a subordinate even, I could pull their record but only if you can prove relevance and relation to the record holder in question,” Nedzu said.

“So, if they were, say my courier and ward?” One for All said.

“Then as they are a ward under your protection, I would be permitted to pull their reincarnation records for you to view,” Nedzu said. He sprung off the desk and with a flourish of more papers being processed and signed, Nedzu reached a door off the side of his main office room into which he entered. He came back out with a scroll slung over his shoulder which he leapt up and dropped in One for All’s waiting hands.

“Per policy of the Halls of the Dead, you cannot take that with you and will have to read that here,” Nedzu said.With that the “attendant” let out a light titter and went on a rampage of paper signing that left the dragon witnessing such brutally efficient processing stunned. Furthermore, Nedzu had not only cleared the papers around the desk, leaving just the normal tall stacks remaining on its surface, he’d caught a little toad like creature with purple balls on its head.

“I knew I heard you in the papers!” Nedzu said with some of his true voice leaking through. The little cretin was too scared to respond. Nedzu looked up at One for All with should have been a pleasant smile but there was an edge to it that sent chills down his spine,

“Leave the scroll on the desk. Another attendant will be by to file it back in its rightful spot in the archives,” he said. The tone was also blithe but there was just a hint of frost to it. With that the little toad spirit was dragged off by Nedzu, and it sobbed in fear the whole time. With a shudder, One for All carefully unraveled the document. It showed most recent lives first. That being Izuku Midoriya— born to Inko Midoriya and Hisashi Ishiki-Midoriya. It showed him as a dragon but there was a note of “exposure to dragon fruit and the aura of the Spirit World caused a transformation from human to dragon.”

Before he was Izuku he was another human named Takahiro Miyzaki. It was a very short life. Uneventful. The next life before that was a long and uneventful life as Shiro Takahashi. Before that another simple uncomplicated life as a woman this time named Minako Kimura. Before that he was a man named Shinta Seijuro. Then before that he had been born as a series of animals like a few sea turtles, seahorse, various types of fish. It seemed prior to a human incarnation, Izuku’s soul was bound for water bound creatures. It was at the bottom of the scroll that One for All’s suspicions were confirmed.

_Kohino*_

_River Dragon God. Killed by drought and damming of his life source river while too young to sustain himself. Granted reincarnation upon review by Lord Enma_.

“Is his mother still his mother or can’t you tell me that?” One for All asked as he looked down at Nedzu.

“I can’t and her records are off limits to you. Your ward, on the other hand, could ask,” Nedzu said. One for All handed the scroll back.

“What will you do?” Nedzu asked.

“I’ll give him a choice. If he chooses that he doesn’t want to know, then I will honor that. I owe him that much,” One for All said.

“And your brother?”

“It’s not for me to tell, is it?”

———————————— —————————

Nana had arrived on the beginning of the second day, and with her Tori. Izuku knew there’d be feathers to sweep up by the time he completed his tasks. He wasn’t wrong. Nana was already helping to gather up all the dropped plumage.

“Why do you shed so much?” Izuku asked.

“I’m not sure. I never run out of feathers. Also, for bird types like me, it’s “molting,”” Nana said.

“It’s stress of dealing with youngsters,” Tori muttered.

“Youngsters?”

“Lord One for All takes in orphans and children who manage to escape the bathhouse but not turning into spirits. If they’re too young to work, they’re usually doomed to fading unless we take them in. We don’t manage to find very many in time, unfortunately,” Nana said.

“I didn’t know he did that.”

“He doesn’t brag, that one. If it weren’t for the fact he still has a taste for silk here and there, I’d think he wasn’t a dragon at all,” Tori said. There was something Izuku had been wanting to ask so he just blurted it out,

“Were you human once too, Tori?” Instead of being offended, the bird-like older man just shrugged.

“Mighta been. After long enough time, you forget,” Tori said.

“Not always, but it gets harder to hold onto things. I was a lot older than the usual victims when I became a spirit and from a time a bit less kind to teenagers who were like me. I came to the spirit world after I fled home, unable to bear my parents’ disappointment any longer. It’s also more painful to turn into a spirit as a teenager or adult. The younger you are, the more your body will accept the changes,” Nana said. _She looks so sad. Nice going Izuku!_

“Sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’d almost lost my past. I’ll have to work harder to remember hold onto it from here on out,” Nana said.

“Shouldn’t you get dinner made?” Tori grumbled.

“I’ll handle it—,”

“No! I mean, you’re a guest. I’ll cook!” Izuku said.

“Smooth one, kid,” Tori said. Despite the exasperated looks Nana sent him, Izuku was able to slip past her and begin to prepare the evening meal. He gained helpers as others who served One for All slipped into the kitchen. Izuku was very happy to see Roku had arrived. Dinner was saved.

———————— ——————————

As always, it was very informal. Bowls were shared, sometimes food went flying but it was homey. It reminded Izuku of the summer dinners he and his mom would have with Kachan in his family. _Especially the last dinner we had together._

“I see a smile! What’s done that, Deku?” Goro asked from across the room, his right hand not holding his bowl or chop-sticks pointed at Izuku.

“I remembered there was a dinner I had with my friend Kachan and his family,” Izuku said.

“Oh! A Kachan story!” Nana said as she motioned for the group to sort of gather into a semi circle to listen.

“Kachan and I had gotten so muddy at the river that day, catching animals. I think I got a frog or a salamander and Kachan caught a turtle. Our moms were so mad because the mud was everywhere. Because we were so dirty they had no choice but to make dinner an outdoor picnic in Kachan’s backyard. Because we were outside, Kachan decided he didn’t have to follow table manners because “We’re not at a shitty table, Hag” and this caused his mom to get so mad at him and the food went flying. Kachan’s Dad, Mom, and I started laughing because of how the food had landed on their faces making it look like they’d put on really bad kabuki makeup, which led to an all out food war. Mom won and we all had to be hosed off before we could go inside the house,” Izuku said.

“I have to wonder what mother lets her kid swear and call her that,” Nana said.

“I asked mom that once and she just said “It’s a Mitsuki thing. She did the same thing to her parents and karma gave her a son that was just like her.”” Izuku said.

“Are you like your mother?” Niito asked.

“I..I think I was—am. I know I used to look a bit more like her before…,” Izuku trailed off and gestured at his horns, scales, ears, and fangs.

“With that, we should finish up dinner and start the post-meal clean up. All those who did make dinner are exempt,” Nana said as she took charge.

————————— ————————

Toshinori arrived at One for All’s home to see the great dragon himself was perched on his own roof in humanoid form, brooding. The wolf okami easily leapt up and transformed into his humanoid form in midair. He landed gracefully on two bare feet and joined One for All in sitting on the rooftop.

“What troubles you, old friend?”

“If you knew information about someone that was both important but could go without being revealed, what would you do?” One for All asked.

“Is this about Young Deku?”

“Am I that obvious?”

“Only to me,” Toshinori said.

“I have knowledge of his past lives, Toshinori,” One for All said.

“And?”

“It would change everything and nothing,” One for All said.

“Perhaps you’d be better off asking Izuku directly,” Toshinori said.

“I know. I just wanted him to have a good night,” One for All said.

“Then you’ll be telling him tomorrow?”

“Yes.”

————————— ——————————

Izuku jolted awake again. _That memory again…_ Izuku looked out and saw One for All was outside in the moonlight, sitting on a large rock in the Zen garden Yonato had put in staring out at the representation of his river in this world.

“One for All?” Izuku said.

“Did you have another dream?” One for All asked.

“Yes.” One for All looked down at Izuku, green eyes faintly glowing in the moonlight. He offered Izuku a hand.

“Join me. There’s plenty of space up here.” Izuku nodded and carefully climbed up and sat next to One for All. The way the water reflected the moonlight was mesmerizing and relaxing.

“Did you find out why I’m dreaming about him?” Izuku asked.

“I did. Do you want to hear it or would you rather let the mystery lay,” One for All asked.

“Is it big?” Izuku asked.

“Yes and at the same time no. It won’t change anything between you and me or you and the others. You’ll always be Izu to me, and Deku to the others” One for All said.

“But it’ll change something with others?”

“It might, only if you want to tell them or you let it,” One for All said. Izuku hugged his knees to his chest, his tail wrapped around them too.

“I think I’d rather know than have it hang over us,” Izuku said.

“The source of your dreams is you’re his reincarnation,” One for All said.

“Dragons can reincarnate?”

“If Lord Enma approves the request. Your first life had been so young when he died, Lord Enma had mercy on his soul,” One for All said.

“And he became me?”

“After many different lives as various sea creatures and other human lifetimes, yes,” One for All said.

“Then…you really are my Uncle. We’re really family,” Izuku said as he looked up at One for All, he could feel some happy tears forming. One for All gave him a fond smile and pulled him into a side hug.

“We already were.”

“Wait…that means he’s…”

“You don’t have to tell him. He doesn’t know for certain and you never have to confirm it,” One for All said. Izuku looked at the river again and watched it roll . A river he knew on a deeper level as safety and now he knew _why_.

“But if I deny him, I’m denying you too. I’ve come this far by accepting things and facing other things without running away like a little kid. I’ll deal with this too,” Izuku said.

“He could try to press for custody as he is your first life’s sire,” One for All said.

“But not this life’s!” Izuku said.

“That we know of. For all we know this transformation is a result of a reversion to your first life,” One for All said as he tapped a finger on his chin. The smirk let Izuku know he wasn’t serious. Izuku gave him a playful shove,

“Cut it out, you’ll only give him more ideas!”

“He’s not here to hear them, though!”

“He’ll still find a way!”

**Author's Note:**

> * There isn't a "Kohino" river but there is a **Hino** river, where I drew the inspiration for his name from as well as Kohaku's name from _Spirited Away_
> 
> I'm not sure how well me making Nedzu Enma in disguise in this little tangent will go over, but I've realized the only position in the Spirit World fitting of the terror Nedzu could cause would be as The Judge of the Dead. 
> 
> I've based his domain mostly off of _Yu Yu Hakusho_ 's depictions of it, but instead of Oni/Ogres staffing it like in _Yu Yu Hakusho_ , it's a bunch of rat-bear-dog things like Nedzu.  
> Though, the way to tell the Enma in disguise from his underlings is the scar across his eye.  
> He's also the only character I could see standing up to AfO's demands and saying "No." with a smile on his face.
> 
> I chose to go the reincarnation route because it's the path that gives me the most inspiration for developing DfO further.  
> It's why I did that with my Mummy fic.
> 
> As for what not-quite-Mineta was doing in the Halls of the Dead, I'll leave that up for your imagination just as I'll leave his punishment at the hands of Nedzu. 
> 
> Mostly, this was written to indulge more OfA team bonding and OfA being a good Uncle.
> 
> Also! I have One for All call Izuku "Izu" as opposed to "Deku" when they're alone because I wanted him to have his own special nickname for Izuku.


End file.
